October 30, 2008

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Democratic Senate candidate Kay Hagan filed a defamation lawsuit against Sen. Elizabeth Dole today after the Republican continued to air an advertisement suggesting Hagan doesn't believe in God.

"Like her time in the U.S. Senate, Elizabeth Dole has made her choices here, and that's her decision," Hagan campaign spokeswoman Colleen Flanagan said in a statement. "But it's equally our decision not to allow someone to slander Kay Hagan, impugn her character, her convictions and her faith, without any consequences."

UPDATE: Dole campaign spokesman Hogan Gidley called the lawsuit "frivolous" and said the campaign will file a motion to dismiss it.

“Kay Hagan knows that the Dole Campaign ad is accurate and she is trying to confuse voters until Election Day," Gidley said.

“Yesterday she threatened to sue to get the ad off the air. After realizing that they could not get an ad pulled that is 100% factual, they have resorted to court room gimmicks. Hagan’s so called 'lawsuit' is merely a motion to file a suit within 20 days, well after the election.”

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Sen. Dole's ad is the result of someone desperately trying to cling to power no matter what the cost. I always thought her above this kind of thing. Early polls here in NC show, I think, that she has harmed herself by doing this. Actions have consequences, and I hope the public punishes her by voting for Ms. Hagan.

Good for Hagan. The right has gotten so out of hand in this election that this might be the only way to combat the lies and slander. People are having their livelihoods destroyed by angry, ethically bankrupt Republicans. When will this stop?

Is anyone really surprised a Republican candidate would stoop this low? They've been attacking the Islamic faith for years, so it was just a matter of time before they turned on Christians. Will there be ANY religion that isn't off limits to them pretty soon? It seems as if nothing is out of bounds for the GOP. I am a bit surprised it's coming from Liddy Dole, but power makes some people do dangerous things. I hope she gets her ass handed to her by the voters and the courts!

They say the ad is "100% factual" Yet it ends by saying "what did Hagan promise in return?" then a picture of Kay Hagan and a voice saying "There is no god!"
So either A) They are saying that Hagan promised there is no god, which they have no proof of. B) Dole saying that the statement "there is no god" is factual, and therefore admitting that Dole does not believe in god OR C) They lied in the ad, and they are lying now. Which is it Dole!? Are you a liar, or do you just believe there is no god and wanted to point that out?

That ad was the lowest I've seen yet. But I'm wondering if a public figure can bring an action for defamation, as I thought public figures were less protected under defamation laws. Any specific information would be enlightening.
And why does it matter if Hagen doesn't believe in God? Bush has been proclaiming he's a Christian since 2000, and he's the worst president the US has ever had. Perhaps the wingnuts have a short attention span.

when you use god in a political race. mean,s your campaign hasn,t got a prayer. so you will be just fine ms. hagan. court won,t have,t to go to court. the voter,s will deliver libby dole,s final verdict, guilty as charged

when you use god in a political race. mean,s your campaign hasn,t got a prayer. so you will be just fine ms. hagan. court won,t have,t to go to court. the voter,s will deliver libby dole,s final verdict, guilty as charged

Oh, please. Since when is calling someone an atheist defamation? Religion is the root of all evil. Besides which -- Hagan is a public figure. She can't be defamed in a political race. It's a stunt. They're both stunts. You get the government you deserve. The political discourse in this country is shameful. So is the way we choose our president. I say scrap the whole presidential thing and go with a parliament and ministerial form of government. We have no business choosing the chief executive. Too often the process robs us of the most experienced, most qualified leader. And then we're stuck for four years. Scrap it. Plow under and plant over. But, sadly, this will never happen. A nation of capitalists and cowboy mentality, the result of being separated from the rest of the western world for two long by two oceans. Will we ever catch up?

Dole and the Republicans are stooping so low this year that they would have to step up to be in the gutter. I hope that Hagan beats Dole in a landslide. Dole can't run on the issues, like John McCain, because their on the wrong side of all the critical issues. The Republican party has emerged as the protectors of the wealthy and big-oil. Anyone who believes that Republicans are 'conservative' is lying to themselves.

Elizabeth Dole should be ashamed of herself. Her career should be over because of this ad. Hopefully both she and Michele Bachmann will lose their seats and start some type of club for insane Republican has-beens.

Looks like another republican has sold her soul to the devil.
If McCain wins the presidency, we would certainly be seeing the rise of Naziism Part II - the rebirth of Hitler. Republicans have gotten so vile, violent and virulent in their messages that its very conceivable that they would start cleansing anyone who does not look like them, talk like them or walk like them. It is likely to put McCarthyism to shame in size and scope. Minorities, immigrants, non-whites, asians, african americans, latinos,hispanics and anyone who is not a far right republican should be afraid, really afraid about this rise of Nazi-ism.

Kay Hagan is doing the right thing. Elizabeth Dole is a disgrace. This is another example of Republicans using faith for their own self-serving enrichment, and make Christianity lose credibility, hurting the real Christians.
Elizabeth Dole must not be allowed to get away with her unscrupulous act. She can't be trusted to be in the Congress, as she has proven she'd stop at nothing, and at all cost, for her own selfish intentions.
ELIZABETH DOLE IS A DISGRACE TO HER REPUBLICAN PARTY!

As a longtime supporter of Senator Dole, I am mortified she has reduced herself to such gutter politics. She is become a disgrace to the United States Senate and to the state of North Carolina. I know very little of Kay Hagan, but I do know she will get my vote. I refuse to wallow in mud with pigs.

Hey, sports fans, NO LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED! Hagan only filed a motion declaring she "intends" to file a lawsuit at some future time. Here in NC, that means Sen. Dole cannot file an answer blistering the substance of Hagan's allegations, because NONE HAVE BEEN FILED. This is not litigation - it is cheap political theatre!

Sen. Dole did this because she knows religion is impt in NC...but she went too far. Kay Hagen is a elder in her church, has taught sunday school, and was a part of the community organizer. Sen Dole has voted with Bush 92% of the time and has only been to NC 6 times in the last 10 years.
SHE'S TOAST!

CHANGE TO SURRENDER IN IRAQ AND GIVING IRAQ BACK TO Al-QAEDA AS SEEN THROUGH IRAQI EYES: "McCain would be best for Iraq because he would ensure stability," said Ali, 66, an expert on the Sumerian era.
"The Iranians believe that if Obama is elected he will not take action against them despite their nuclear ambitions. That worries me," said Ali, sitting on an old bench in Al-Zahawi coffee shop. "I trust the Republicans more. They're more capable of establishing democracy in the world, especially in Arab countries," said the 33-year-old. "Obama is far too left."
"If the Iranians get the bomb they will become the Tarzan of the region," said the former teacher and lecturer at the University of Baghdad, referring to the vine-swinging strongman of the jungle in old Hollywood movies.
Mohammed, also a professor at the university, said he too preferred McCain "because Obama supports a rapid withdrawal of US troops."
"Our army is still too weak and Turkey and Iran are threats. Iran's President (Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad has warned Iran would fill the void left when US troops depart," he said.

This is just depressing. As far as I can tell, the constitution guarantees our freedom of religion, and that includes freedom from religion. Religion has no place in politics. Period. Not in campaigns and not in office. Nowhere.
Senator Dole needs to find some new material. With all the time she's spent in the senate, you'd think she might have a record to run on, something positive she's done for her state, the nation, or the world.
She shouldn't have lowered herself to this level. In short, it's disappointing.

Good for Kay Hagan. I'm sick of politicians lying to us in political ads and lying with an arrogant impunity. If ever one has a case for slander, libel, or defamation of character that could be won in court, I would think it would be from a political election, in which the scurrilous liar is intentionally trying to damage the reputation of an opponent and deprive them of the employment they seek. Dole's shameful "Godless" lies about the Christian (church elder) Hagan are beyond the pale and should lead all conscientious voters to put Dole out to pasture on Election Day. I hope Hagan follows up with the lawsuit and wins big in court, setting, if not a precedent, a tradition of lawsuits that will make candidates shy from such lie-filled attacks.

Isn't it ironic that Liddy Dole, who holds NC's Jessie Helms seat in the Senate, ends her campaign (and, God willing, her career) in Jessie Helms' style. North Carolinians are better people that Liddy understands. In 1947, political scientist, V.O. Keys, described NC as a state different from the "deep South" -- a state of small towns, not plantations, and a state of civic minded people. With Kay Hagan, we will elect one of our own and defeat Mrs. Dole, who left NC at the age of 25 to make her fortune in DC. No, she didn't -- and now cannot -- come home again.

It's not so amazing that someone like Libby Dole who panders to the southern-fried moralists would use prevarication and a holier than thou tactic to defame her opponent. Perhaps her loss will be God's judgment.